TOD R. CHAMBERS NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF THE FAMED ROOSEVELT HOTEL IN NEW ORLEANS, A WALDORF=ASTORIA COLLECTIONâ„¢ HOTEL

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 28, 2008 – Tod R. Chambers has been named general manager of The Roosevelt in New Orleans, which is scheduled to re-open as a Waldorf=Astoria Collection hotel in the Spring of 2009. He most recently served as general manager of the DoubletreeÂ® Hotel New Orleans, a position held since 2006. He will report to Andy Slater, Area Vice President of Hilton Hotels Corporation.

In his new position, Chambers will oversee the day-to-day operations of the 500-room historical property and its staff. He will also play a key role in decisions concerning hotel offerings, such as retail shops, restaurant concepts and guest room amenities. The Waldorf=Astoria Collection, a luxury member of the Hilton Hotels Family, recently announced plans for the redevelopment of the former Fairmont New Orleans as “The Roosevelt” in conjunction with the Hotel owner, First Class Hotels LLC. The landmark New Orleans property, which has been closed since Hurricane Katrina, was opened in 1893 as the Grunewald with an addition being completed in 1927. In 1923 the hotel was renamed The Roosevelt in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt. It remained The Roosevelt until being purchased by the Fairmont group in 1965. The project’s cost is expected to exceed $135 million.

With nearly two decades of hospitality industry experience, Chambers began his career in 1989 as executive meeting manager with the Marriott Corporation, later taking director of sales positions with The Brown’s Resort in Sheldrake, New York and the Wyndham Hotel in Tampa, Florida. He joined the Hilton family in 1992 as director of sales and marketing of the Hilton Tampa and held the same position with the Doubletree Guest Suites, Ft. Lauderdale and the Doubletree Hotel Pittsburgh, before being promoted to assistant general manager of the latter property in 2000. Chambers has held positions as resident manager of the Hilton Pittsburgh, general manager of the Doubletree Hotel Nashville and hotel manager of the Hilton Americas Houston. Chambers joined the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in 2005 and was instrumental in the renovations and the re-birth of New Orleans post Katrina. After being promoted to general manager of the Doubletree Hotel New Orleans, he oversaw similar post-Katrina renovations to completion

Chambers received a bachelor of science degree in leisure studies with a minor in psychology from Boston University and a master of science degree in business administration from Indiana University. He also completed the IMD Commercial Behavior Program in Lausanne Switzerland. Chambers is a native of Boston, Massachusetts and is married to New Orleans dentist Elizabeth Riggs.